Ryan Coogler’s latest film Sinners emerges from a deeply emotional and personal place, as revealed in the 32-minute featurette Dancing with the Devil: The Making of Sinners. This insight into the filmmaker’s creative process highlights how Coogler’s time in Byron, Georgia, following the completion of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, sparked the genesis of the project. His encounter with a cotton plantation first-hand stirred memories of his late uncle, a sharecropper from Mississippi, whose life greatly influenced Coogler’s reflections on family and heritage.
Sinners came from a very personal place, man.
—Ryan Coogler, Writer-Director
I saw a cotton plantation. I had never seen the plant before in person, and that experience made me think of my uncle, who was from Mississippi. He grew up in his early times as a sharecropper and eventually fled the state and came to California.
—Ryan Coogler, Writer-Director
Coogler shared that his uncle‘s passing in 2015, coinciding with the final stages of his earlier film Creed, left an unresolved grief that fueled his storytelling. The feelings of loss and memory are deeply woven into the fabric of Sinners, making it a tribute to both family and Black Southern history, framed through the emotional medium of cinema.
We had a very close relationship. He passed away in 2015 as I was finishing up my second feature film, Creed. He never got to see that movie, and I never really properly mourned that loss.
—Ryan Coogler, Writer-Director
How Music and Memory Shaped the Story’s Genesis
The spark that ignited Sinners came unexpectedly when Coogler heard Howlin’ Wolf’s Wang Dang Doodle, a blues tune that instantly connected him back to moments shared with his uncle. This musical memory helped Coogler consolidate his ideas for the film, which he views as a cinematic love letter to the experience of watching movies and the art form itself.
The movie just came to me,
he recalls.
It kind of all coalesced in that moment.
—Ryan Coogler, Writer-Director
More than anything, I felt it was an opportunity for me to write a love letter to cinema, to all of the things that I love about going to the movies and watching movies with an audience; that feeling that drove me to want to become a filmmaker.
—Ryan Coogler, Writer-Director
Coogler’s wife and producing partner, Zinzi Coogler, describes Sinners as a story closely tied to Ryan’s own identity, shaped by memories and relationships that influenced his understanding of manhood and family responsibility during his formative years.
This story is closest to him because I think parts of Smoke, parts of Stack, parts of Sammie are him,
she explains.
He just revels in the memories that he has with his big cousins. Those are the men who formulated his ideas about relationships, about taking care of family, and about responsibility, and about manhood in those formative years. Those are stories and memories he’s just latched onto.
—Zinzi Coogler, Producer and Partner
The Swift Development and Trusted Creative Team Behind Sinners
The film came together remarkably fast. Producer Sev Ohanian, whose collaboration with Coogler dates back to Fruitvale Station in 2013, noted that only two months after pitching the concept, Coogler had completed a full script. The narrative follows twin brothers who return home to escape their troubled pasts, only to face a darker menace awaiting them.
For such an ambitious project, Coogler relied heavily on longstanding collaborators he trusts to bring his vision to life effectively. Drawing from creative partnerships established on Wakanda Forever, he brought back key talents including director of photography Autumn Durald Arkapaw, production designer Hannah Beachler, costume designer Ruth E. Carter, editor Michael P. Shawver, and composer Ludwig Göransson.
I’m maximizing all the relationships that I’ve formed with all the folks that helped me make those movies, and I’m kind of just cashing it in on this picture,
Coogler said regarding his approach to assembling the team.
Arkapaw expressed enthusiasm about working with Coogler on this film, praising the script’s compelling nature and the joy she finds in their collaborations.
When I read it, I texted him and I was like, ‘This is amazing.’ I couldn’t put it down,
she said.
But anytime I have the opportunity to work with him, I’m excited about it.
—Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Director of Photography
Carter highlighted the mission behind telling the story, emphasizing the cultural significance of the Southern Black community’s creative contributions, especially in music.
Getting a call like that is not only a gift,
Carter explained.
It’s more like a mission to tell this story and to bring people into awareness of people in the South who made something out of nothing, who were disenfranchised but created the blues, created beautiful music that has influenced generations and all kinds of genres.
—Ruth E. Carter, Costume Designer
Göransson called the project a family endeavor, assembling top-tier talent to realize Coogler’s vision in every department.
This is a family project,
he stated.
We’re bringing in the best people in the world to collaborate and make this happen.
—Ludwig Göransson, Composer
Leading Roles and Casting Choices Fueled by Longstanding Partnerships
For the central roles of twin brothers Smoke and Stack, Coogler chose Michael B. Jordan, continuing their collaboration on four previous films. Coogler believed Jordan was uniquely suited to the demanding roles and trusted him to take creative risks.
It was a role that I thought only Michael could do,
Coogler stated.
So when I brought it to him, it was an opportunity for us to kind of jump off this creative cliff together with no safety net.
Jordan admits the project’s personal significance for Coogler added pressure but also deepened his commitment.
He picks up the phone and calls and thinks about you for a certain project that’s really, really personal to him, that means a lot to him, and he trusts you to deliver the message, to be a part of that process. You take it seriously, and it means a lot.
—Michael B. Jordan, Actor
Editor Michael P. Shawver commented that the openness and trust in the creative relationship between Coogler and Jordan allows them to be fully engaged and honest with one another, which fuels their success.
I think what makes Michael and Ryan’s collaboration so successful is trust, openness. It’s not being afraid to be honest with each other,
Shawver noted.
Through the years, obviously, that trust has grown, and I’ve never seen both of them so locked in.
—Michael P. Shawver, Editor
To cast Sammie, the role requiring strong musical abilities in blues, Coogler sought talent through an extensive search, ultimately discovering newcomer Miles Caton. Caton impressed Coogler with his singing and then taught himself guitar by studying renowned blues musicians such as Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and Son House.
Blues Music and Horror Elements Intertwined in Sinners
Coogler explained that the story’s combination of blues music and horror showcases a powerful irony — how the oppressed maintain joy and resilience through creative expression amid bleak circumstances. His fascination with the horror genre comes from early cinematic experiences.
If blues is the backbone for popular music globally, the scary story is the backbone for all storytelling,
Coogler said, highlighting the narrative’s genre blend.
My earliest memories of movies and the power of them are sitting in a room full of strangers dark and being absolutely terrified by something that’s happening on screen,
he added.
All of my favorite filmmakers, they left a dent in that genre somehow. I couldn’t wait to do one one day.
Production Challenges and Noteworthy Technical Choices
The shoot faced challenges such as unpredictable New Orleans weather, with rain causing delays. Despite these obstacles, the combination of elaborate sets and period-accurate costumes successfully transported the cast and crew to the 1930s setting as soon as filming began.
Warner Bros. executive Jesse Ehrman proposed shooting in large-format IMAX to capture the grandeur of the characters and setting. Coogler immediately embraced the idea, feeling it suited the epic narrative and the significance of telling a story about a generation often overlooked in American history.
We’re gonna show a generation of Americans that are often overlooked, that people feel uncomfortable talking about, people don’t wanna spend time with, but to me, these people from this era are giants,
Coogler said,
So I was like, ‘It has to be shot on the most epic format.’
IMAX filming brought logistical challenges, such as successfully capturing intricate musical sequences that span generations. Scott C. Smith, an IMAX camera technician, pointed out how the precision required for film pushes the entire crew to give their best effort every take.
When that film camera is rolling, the IMAX camera is rolling, people are really on point,
he explained.
They really try their hardest every take to get everything exactly right, because film is precious.
—Scott C. Smith, IMAX Camera Technician
A Comprehensive and Balanced Cinematic Experience
Coogler describes Sinners as a well-rounded film that delivers on multiple fronts, including music, stunts, genre blending, and a mix of practical and visual effects. It represents the culmination of his passion for filmmaking and a message he wants to communicate directly to audiences worldwide.
This is a full meal of a movie,
Coogler remarked.
It’s very balanced. It has all the elements that I love when I’m both watching a movie and when I’m making a movie.
He acknowledges the film as one of the most important in his body of work, reflecting its personal significance and the emotional weight behind it.
In many ways, it’s the most important movie I’ve ever made, and it’s straight from me to audiences.
—Ryan Coogler, Writer-Director
Availability and Future Impact
Sinners is now available across multiple formats including 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital. The film‘s combination of powerful storytelling, innovative technical choices, and cultural resonance positions it to spark important conversations about Southern Black history, musical legacy, and cinematic storytelling.
With Coogler’s strong creative team and trusted cast, Sinners stands as a testament to how deeply personal stories can be told on an epic scale, promising to leave a lasting impression on audiences and filmmaking alike.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What is Ryan Coogler’s religion?
A. Religion is a fresh theme in Coogler’s work, but he believes it has always been part of his films. He grew up in a Baptist family and studied at Catholic schools. Three of his grandparents passed away before he was born, and he was intrigued by how his parents spoke about staying spiritually linked to them.
